Japan based auto manufacturer Yamaha has won a rare approval for its drone that can be used for spraying fertilizers and pesticides on the crops. The federal authorities in the United States have given the approval on May 5, 2015.
The drone by Yamaha is known as the RMAX which is a helicopter controlled by a remote control and weighs 94 kilograms. The drone is developed by Yamaha Corp USA. Meanwhile some of the smaller drones were earlier approved for taking pictures and helped the farmers to identify the unhealthy crops.
This is the first drone that is big enough and carried pesticides and fertilizers to be sprayed on the crops. Farmers in Japan have already used the drone for rice crops. The spokesperson for Yamaha Corp, Markofski said, “I certainly understand their cautious approach. It’s a daunting task given our airspace is complicated.”
Ken Giles the professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the University of California Davis said, that the drone is best for precision spraying California’s rolling vineyards and places which are hard to be reached from the ground or with larger piloted planes. The drone was tested in California by Giles to see if it could be used.
Photo Credits: wsj
